Notebook of Intrigue!
by cartoongeek13
Summary: A notebook is left lying open on the kitchen counter of the TE tower. What is scrawled and sketched between its lines is personal, offensive and anonymous. The writer never dates his entries, and the artist never signs her work. So to whom could the notebook belong? Accusations fly and tensions strain between the TE, TN, and KF while the Herald unravels the mystery.
1. The SET-UP

**Disclaimer: Don't own Teen Titans.**

 **Hope you like the story!**

 **(Diary entries will not be written out in detail until the finale, when all is finally revealed. :P)**

* * *

A notebook is left lying open on the kitchen counter of the TE tower. What is scrawled and sketched between its lines is personal, offensive, and anonymous. The writer never dated his entries; the artist never signed her work. So to whom could the notebook belong? Accusations fly and tensions strain between the TE, TN, and KF as the Herald unravels the mystery.

* * *

 _Notebook of Intrigue!_

THE SET-UP

Compared to the full-grown, highly functional Titans (West), the Titans East was an adolescent. It flew by the seat of its metaphorical pants, took crazy risks and always won the day.

Bumblebee was a capable leader with a ferocious spirit and an in-your-face attitude. She was feared by her enemies, and even a little by her friends.

Speedy had finally escaped the shadow of another heroic archer. By building a brand around his new image and "cool guy" personality, he hoped to stay in the limelight. With everything, it seemed, to prove, Speedy tackled even tiny problems with remarkable intensity.

Aqualad rarely smiled. Since a crisis beneath the ocean's surface finally met its end, the Atlantean hadn't been the same. His king swore him to secrecy concerning the matter. Though his heart felt ready to implode, Aqualad kept quiet. Speedy could occasionally draw some trademark sarcasm out of Aqualad.

Más and Menos grew as heroes day-by-day. They learned teamwork, perseverence, basic deductive reasoning, and the number of the pizza place.

* * *

The Titans North was in its infancy. The citizens of Coastal City didn't believe in their strength as heroes, and its thriving criminal underworld thought they and their Tower-Lighthouse hybrid were adorable. Its members acted like one-man shows.

What shows they were!

Hot Spot hurled fireballs at a teammate a week, at least, for whatever reason. His raging soap-box speeches about the Titans, his teammates, and why they were chosen to police Coastal City demoralized anyone within earshot. He never supported the Titans, and most likely resented them.

Kole tried too hard to be an essential part of the team, and consequently fell into enemy hands more often than any other Norther. Her powers were primarily defensive, and magnified anything with which her crystal version made contact. So she became the favorite weapon of the supervillains who sought "World domination, starting with Coastal City!" one death ray at a time.

Jericho distrusted his assigned friends. This pattern of distrust caused him to hesitate during battle, when he would have to rely on them most. He wasn't impressed by their combat experience or prowess, so he had signed to the Herald after one rather fast sparring match against Argent. Then there was his disability, which only the Herald could fully remedy.

Kole was trying harder than anyone else to learn ASL, and Jericho seemed grateful for that.

Argent expected greatness to come naturally to her and those in her circle. She carried herself like a celebrity whenever they went out on the town. She behaved like a childhood friend when they stayed in for the night. She was too familiar too fast, so her friendship felt superficial.

And the Herald was trying to balance two full-time jobs. At first, he had tried to excel at being a Titan leader and at being a Herald, but in retrospect that had been a comical dream. The multiverse and Coastal City both needed his undivided attention.

* * *

Though not a real member of the Titans North, Kilowatt proved himself to be invaluable to their team a couple of times. He was learned in subjects that weren't electrical, like criminal psychology **("chaos reasoning"),** reading schematics, and achieving new high scores on the videogame station. While he **"recharged his vessel"** after a fight **,** he would namedrop his chaotic homeworld more often than one might expect, but never so much to a single person.

* * *

Kid Flash, who worked alone, traveled from Cairo, Egypt, to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Steel City, USA.

But he wasn't as fast as the Herald.


	2. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

**Disclaimer: Don't own Teen Titans.**

* * *

A notebook is left lying open on the kitchen counter of the TE tower. What is scrawled and sketched between its lines is personal, offensive, and anonymous. The writer never dated his entries; the artist never signed her work. So to whom could the notebook belong? Accusations fly and tensions strain between the TE, TN, and KF as the Herald unravels the mystery.

* * *

 _Notebook of Intrigue!_

CHAPTER ONE: LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

"Thanks for havin' me, Bee."

As the Herald spoke, Coastal City endured a relentless wave of evil mechas and other electronic abominations, a wave that had begun the week before and seemed to have no end.

Since electric superstar Kilowatt temporarily teamed up with the Titans North they _had_ to be winning, thought the Herald.

But the interdimensional policeman wouldn't stress about that _too_ much.

"No prob," said Bee. "I guess I like having a man around who _isn't_ annoying."

"HEY!"

"OYÉ!"

The twins Más and Menos took particular offense.

"Then I'm your man?" asked the Herald with a suggestive smirk.

"Sure. Keep telling yourself that. I'm gonna go get _something_ done today, unlike _you._ Abandoning your team at the _first_ sign of trouble."

"If I'd done that, I woulda been out of there on the first day."

"Any way you try to slice it, you're here in crime _paradise_ while your team's struggling to make do without you. Wanna justify _that_?"

Steel City rarely saw peace, but Herald had rolled in during one of those coveted times. That was no mistake.

"I can't. Except that I left Kilowatt back with 'em. He has a talent with machines, I'd heard, and that's what they need. We done here? 'Cause you got work to do, or so you said."

Bee's eyes were daggers, and she flitted away without a final word about anything. Nostrils flaring, she ranted under her breath about the "high-and-mightiness" of their guest. She hoped he could hear her from across the room, take a hint, and slink back to his own messed up town.

Meanwhile, along the north coast of Canada, Coastal City's super villains kept trying to annihilate those Titan wannabes the Titans North. The people of Coastal always shuddered at the villains' powerplays. Every defeat of the Titans was gigantic, and every victory on their part was met with skepticism, doubt, and fear of a future defeat.

"Will our teen saviors shortly be overcome?" Bumblebee had heard that question in the news too often. Did the Herald realize how weak he looked, slithering away to a safer city during his own city's time of great need?

The crime alert called Bumblebee back into the Herald's unwelcome company.

"You got a plan?" he asked.

Bee glared. As if she _wouldn't_ once she keyed up who they were up against.

" _You_ wanna take the lead, _fearless leader?"_ she challenged, booting up the computer.

"Your city. You'd know the guys."

How _logical_... Bee's anger boiled against him.

While the crime computer worked, strategies and possible outcomes zipped in and out of her head. Different crime bosses and solo villains alternated as main antagonists in each new scenario, and she weighed her team's strength against that long list of enemies.

"Woah... The names just keep coming up!"

"Muchos los malos, tan poco tiempo." **"So many baddies, so little time."**

"Herald, I think we might need your help. We might need your entire _team_."

Bee's expression was grave.

"Every lone wolf in our city has assembled on this one spot, and they're coming this way _in force_. They plan to take us out in one fell swoop, guys. Herald..."

She took a moment to swallow her pride.

"Call your team. We can't beat them on our own."

With a dull note, Bee's will was done.

Noticeably worn but battle-ready, the Titans North and Kilowatt charged through the dimensional rift and awaited their orders.

* * *

"AUUUGH! That fight was HELL!"

Hot Spot threw himself headfirst over the back of the common room sofa. He powered down before he ignited the cushions.

"You all owe us SO BIG! And I'll collect!"

"Yeah!" Argent agreed. "We'd ask you lot to come help us back in Coastal, but that situation's handled. Kil was a _gem_. We couldn't of done it without him!"

Kilowatt grinned because of the praise.

Jericho and Kole nodded.

That confirmed what the Herald had already assumed, that recruiting their friend, the friend of electricity, _had been_ the best move.

"Glad y'all got it done."

Bee rolled her eyes.

"You guys _probably_ could've gotten it handled _sooner_ if your fearless leader had hung around."

"Is that what your callin' me now?"

"Is that what you _should_ be called?"

"I dunno!"

Kid Flash beamed at every confused expression aimed his way.

Más and Menos smiled widely at each other.

 _"¡El Rápido!_ ¡No te hemos visto desde la batalla enorme en París! ¿Qué tal?" **"We haven't seen you since the big battle in Paris! What's up?"**

"How are ya, Titans North _and_ East _and_ Kilowatt? Wait, _Kilowatt?_ Man, I do _not_ see enough of _you!_ Anywho, are you guys up for a little _fun_ under the... _moon_?"

"NO."

The group would have yelled their answer had they not been so tired. Except Jericho, of course. He's too nice to yell.

"Aw, c'mooooooooon! Look, I even have some unfortunate dude's diary to read out of strictly for _your_ entertainment!"

Aqualad crossed his arms.

"Pfff... Yeah, _our_ entertainment."

" _That's a breach of privacy,_ " Jericho signed so matter-of-factly.

"Gotta side with the hippie on this one!" Hot Spot yelled, because he was _not_ nice, from the couch.

" _How can you see me with your head down?_ "

" _Magic_. Shut up."

Kid Flash dashed to Hot Spot's side, elbowing the pyro in the hip.

"Why're you so _grouchy_ today, hm? Maybe because this is _your_ diary and you wish me not to spill its dirty little secrets in front of your dear comrades, who all love and respect you?"

A low murmur of _meh_ s floated to his ears from the lips of Kole and Argent, and Jericho tilted his head side to side. He didn't _love_ Hot Spot.

"If so, speak now or be embarrassed later."

" _You_ speak. See if I care. I'm takin' a _nap_."

" **Hmm...** " Kilowatt buzzed.

His voice sounded like an simulated computer voice.

" **If that _were_ yours,** **you would _definitely_ mind."**

Regardless of whose it was, Kid Flash began to read.

.

Jericho gritted his teeth, turning his head away in disgust. How offensive! Nobody deserved that much judgment to be heaped on top of them. Not _him,_ not _anyone._

.

Más and Menos wished they had never learned English.

.

Kid Flash flipped the diary closed.

Hot Spot's powers erupted.

Kilowatt noticed the smoke, and wondered, **"Perhaps it _is_ yours."**

Appalled, Argent shrieked, "Spot! If you think you can get away with calling _me_ or _any_ of my teammates..."

She couldn't even say it.

"You-! You've got another thing coming!"

Leveling a fierce glare at Argent, Hot Spot bit, "Do I _strike you_ as the type to write my _feelings_ in a _diary_? It isn't mine!"

"You strike me as the mean type, which fits the text!"

" _Guuuuys_..." Kole whined, "Let's not fight _here_. Can't you both wait 'til we get home?"

"No, we'll settle this _now_."

"That stupid lighthouse isn't _home_."

"Yes, it is! And you signed up for it to become your home!"

" _Argent_ , do not _tell me_ where my home is. I might _live_ in that lighthouse, which _isn't_ a Tower, and _sleep_ there and bump into _you_ there, but I do _not_ have to like it! You're _annoying_ , it's _small_ , and it's not even a Tower like this one! We're just... reserves, not a _thought-out team!_ "

Hot Spot's eyes fell on Kilowatt.

"Just _fill-ins_. The real heroes'll step in once we're dead and gone and take the glory."

Kilowatt bowed dejectedly.

"So it's all about the glory with you?"

Bumblebee's judgmental glare stung.

"Get off my back, _Bumble Brat!"_

The Herald stepped in. Lightly pushing on his flame retardant vest, he guided Hot Spot back to the couch.

"Back off. Cool off."

Hot Spot knew that it was futile to fight the Herald when he entered leader mode. He sat down.

"I think either _Jericho_ or _Kole_ is the author," Hot Spot muttered under his breath.

Both heroes looked genuinely offended.

 _"Why?"_ demanded Kole.

"It's always the _quiet ones."_

The Herald clapped.

All heads turned to face him.

"We're gonna be _scientific_ about this thing. Nobody's gonna just _throw_ _around accusations_ and hope they stick, get me? You gotta have _reasons_ for suspecting someone to be the writer, like his language, or temperament."

"So Spot's still in the running then..." Argent muttered, not realizing that half the room could hear her.

The Herald elected that they eliminate Más and Menos right off the bat because of their language problem.

"¿Qué problema de idioma?" **"What language problem?"**

"Your _English_ language problem. You only understand it. You don't speak it, so I assume you don't write in English."

"No..."

"Good. So that's two down and... a lot more to go."

Kid Flash handed Herald a neatly written list of names and one red pen.

"I wrote you this handy-dandy list!"

He gave up the diary as well.

"Use this as a flat surface to write on so the pen won't go through the paper."

The list was as follows:

 **TN**

 **scary calm one**

 **scary angry one**

 **goth one**

 **cute one**

 **mute one (that rhymes!)**

 **~ temp ~**

 **kilowatt**

 **TE**

 **girl angry one**

 **speedy**

 **aqualad**

 **spanish twinquisition**

 **KF**

 **yours truly**

Once read aloud to the group, the Herald observed that reactions to the list were varied.

Himself, he kinda chuckled at KF's short caricature of him.

Jericho and Bumblebee were less than impressed.

Argent, as he knew, wore the goth label like a badge, and grinned ear to ear.

Kole blushed, hardly believing that anyone could think she was cute.

Más and Menos kept screaming at each other, "Nadie no expecta la Spanish Twinquisición!" **"Nobody expects the Spanish Twinquisition!"**

Hot Spot said, "Hit the nail right on the head. But why didn't KF call Speedy the 'whiny one' and Aqualad something like the 'water one'? That's how I keep 'em straight."

"We look _nothing_ alike. You can tell who's who from _that_."

"Yeah, my hair's more beautiful than his is. Why can't anyone _notice_ that?"

Looking them up and down, Hot Spot said, "I know," and gave no further explanation.

"What _do_ you know? That we look completely different, or that my hair's better?!"

"No _sééééé_ ~" **"I _dunnooooo~"_** Menos teased, "A chavas le gusta pelo negro largo. Le hace parecer... _misterioso. Tu_ pelo me hace pensar en un piel de _naranja."_ **"Hot girls like long black hair. It makes one look... _mysterious. Your_ hair makes me think of an orange peel." **

Más erupted in a fit of giggles.

"Let it go, Speedy. The ladies just like me better. It has nothing to do with your _fabulous_ hair."

Before things turned ugly, which they tended to whenever Aqualad _dared_ insult Speedy's hair, the Herald had to ask:

"Kid Flash! How did you find this diary?"

"Oh."

KF fidgeted. All the angry, suspicious stares directed at him could drain even _the_ Flash's confidence.

"I, uh, found it on the counter here. Just _layin',_ waitin' to be read. I'll be honest. I skimmed a few pages and _laughed,_ but-"

"How could you think _any_ of _that_ was _funny?"_ demanded Argent.

"I didn't read that part before! _Swearzies!"_

The Herald kept his focus.

"So anyone here could be its owner. My team materialized near the kitchen, so I _can't_ rule them out... But I _can_ eliminate one more person before turnin' in for the night. The condition of this notebook's got me wondering... Check _this:_ You come home from crime fightin', you pick up your diary, you jump in the pool for a little privacy? That sound right to any of you?"

"Wouldn't that ruin the pages, if they got wet?" Kole asked timidly.

You'd think a person could be über-secure of the fact that water ruins paper, but not Kole. Speaking with her, you'd think being on the surface changed the laws of physics themselves.

"Yeah. So how could _Aqualad,_ whose room is _underwater_ , own such a pristine diary if he has to keep it there? Under lock and key so none of his teammates can read it and make fun of him... or _strangle_ him. The water woulda tarnished the cover if even a drop touched it, but I've looked it over and there's not a single smudge or spot on it, inside or out."

The Herald turned the diary over in his hands, noting the thing's neutral black bindings. Why had someone left something so personal on the kitchen counter, as Kid Flash had reported, to be read by just anyone? It was strange. It was _stupid._ The motive behind its placement intrigued him with its mystery.

The other Titans wanted to throttle whoever had written those horrible things.

Bee had just one problem with the Herald's theory.

"Aqualad doesn't live _in_ the pool," she explained. "He lives in a cave _under_ the pool. He could've put the notebook in a plastic baggie to keep it dry."

"No, my room is too damp for books. I took one down there to read like you just described, and it worked for a _while_ , but caves are damp places. Damp places are prime habitats for _mold_ , which ate the entire book in about a week. I haven't tried to bring paper down there again. And even if I did take a diary down with me, for _privacy_ , why would I dredge it back up and leave out in the open for _Speedy_ to read, or the twins, or _you?"_

"Hmph. Guess that _does_ rule you out."

The rest murmured their approval or nodded.

"Thank you."

Yawning, Argent said, "And on that bombshell, it's time to end. Good night, lovelies. See you all come morning, 'cause I want to see this sorted out."

"Me too."

"Yeah. I wanna know who this guy is."

" _Good-bye and good night._ "

With varying degrees of excitement and wakefulness, the Titans bid each other a pleasant good night. The promise was made between the teams, and KF, to see each other the next morning and put a pin in the diary mystery.

The suspense resulted in a fitful night's rest for the Herald.

9

* * *

 **AN: This fic has been in the works for a long time. I have four chapters written, and one yet to go, so expect semi-frequent updates. And the Set-up doesn't count as a _de facto_ chapter.**

 **Maybe I'll update every weekend.**

 **(You may be wondering what the number at the very end of the chapter represents. It's simple. '9' is the number of suspects that remain. The cast has twelve Titans in it, and Herald eliminated three already. The number will get smaller and smaller, until one Titan remains.)**

 **Drop a review if you like the story so far.**


	3. PRETTIES

**Disclaimer: Don't Own TT**.

 **Said I would update during the weekend, but I ended up babysitting instead. I think that's happened twice now.**

 **Anyway, more eliminations are yet to come. Who do you think wrote the diary?**

* * *

 _Notebook of Intrigue!_

CHAPTER 2: PRETTIES

The Herald monitored the safe passage of his team through a portal. The first through the gateway was Argent, then Hot Spot.

Hot Spot spoke first, announcing, "We are _back_ , baby!"

"And we're ready to get the investigation under-way! Herald's scarcely spoken of anything else since he woke up this morning, and he has a few tests thunk up to help things along toward a _definitive_ conclusion."

That last hero to enter into the TE Tower was Kilowatt, the member most unsure of the Herald's strange power. Jericho's guiding hand supported him.

Kilowatt didn't like portals. Once, the Herald had watched Kilowatt rocket into the night solo instead of stepping into a rift blasted by his horn.

Jericho had followed his electric trail the long way to the Lighthouse (which functioned as the TN Tower) on foot. Kole had followed close behind them.

The Herald wondered if Kilowatt had spilled the reason behind his fear to Jericho and Kole during that walk. Whether he had or hadn't, the Herald was confident that Jericho would never let on to the secret. Kole was equally cosiderate in that regard, and almost as quiet.

"Oyé..." **"Hey..."**

Más and Menos impatiently tugged on the Herald's royal blue cape.

"¿Qué examenes tienes que descubrir quién está el escritor del diario? ¡Estamos aburridos!" **"What tests do you have to discover who the writer of the diary is? We're bored!"**

"Yeah, what's the plan?" asked Aqualad. "Or should we wait for KF to get here before-?"

" _El Rápido_ has _zoomed_ in here every turn of the hour since _six this morning_ so he wouldn't, _quote,_ 'miss anything interesting.' He'll be here."

That said, Speedy suggested they start reading.

" _Sííí_ , ¡así que vamos a empezar!" **"Yesss, so let's start!"** Menos whined, patience expiring faster than his brother's, as it always did.

What else could be expected of the negative half of MásyMenos?

"But it's only one _fifty-six._ He's been very punctual showing up before at _exactly_ six, _exactly_ seven, _exactly_ twelve..." Aqualad prattled.

"He will hear the turning of its pages from across the _world_ , and he'll come running. I know him, and so do you. Wherever things are happening, Kid Flash will be happening; or he will be the _starting force_ of those happenings. Wild horses couldn't keep him away."

"Then should I stand further away from the door so he won't _bowl me over_?"

"... Nah, he can swerve."

Scoffing, Aqualad stalked to the Titans Easts' couch, where most of the party were sitting.

Petulant Menos sat on the arm of the couch, arms crossed.

Más comforted him with gentle pats on the back from his seat on the cushion closest to him.

Another pair, Kole and the object of her unrequited affection Jericho, looked cozy from their shared spot. They rubbed elbows with every bounce of Kole's anxious knee.

Argent glared scornfully at Hot Spot from a distance, and _that_ was _that._

Hot Spot slept peacefully, stretched out across the three cushions furthest from Más and Menos and blissfully unaware.

Kilowatt was caught precariously between the goth and the hothead, and found himself awkwardly repositioning his vessel more than was normal for him (He was pure electro-energy, so how could he be so _uncomfortable?)._

Last but not by any means the least, Bee and the Herald stood in front of the linear couch, vigilantly awaiting Kid Flash.

Bee cast a cock-eyed glance at the diary held in her fellow leader's hands.

"Have you read that since yesterday?"

"Not much past what we've already covered. Did you get your sofa fixed, or is there still burn damage?"

"There's some fire damage where Hot Spot is laying. I guess that's appropriate. Well, now that I know you haven't skipped way ahead of us, let's get this thing started. We'll fill in KF when he gets here."

After demanding everyone's attention, Bee gave the Herald a nod.

The trumpeteer almost soundlessly opened the book to its first written page.

* * *

 **In China**

For some imperceptible reason, Kid Flash's left ear twitched.

"Huh?"

 _The things my body does... Wait._

"Oh! And two minutes early!"

* * *

Kid Flash blasted through the Titans East's front door and slid into their common room.

"I have _arrived_!"

A few sarcastic slow claps were given, and _happily_ received.

Hot Spot stirred, grumbling about an anger that rivaled the burning intensity of a _thousand_ desert suns.

Speedy and Aqualad formally greeted their old friend.

Kid Flash cut to the chase, inquiring, "Have you read anything yet?"

The Herald answered, "Nope, you're just in time."

"Awesome possum!"

The speedster sprinted in front of Jericho and Kole

"Mind if I squeeze in between you two lovebirds? Don't want you two getting _handsy_ while we read, although I doubt you're that kinda guy... uh... _Joe_ , and that you're that kinda girl..."

He struggled for _her_ name.

" _Jericho_ and _Kole_ ," Argent corrected, scoffing. Kid Flash had dealt a blow to her pride, since she thought herself the only one tuned into the romantic tension between the Titans North's most docile members.

"Yeah, _you two._ Mind scooting over a bit?"

Jericho consulted Kole with a raised eyebrow.

After a moment of deliberation, she leaned into him so they could move together and remain cushion buddies.

Kid Flash took the seat to Kole's immediate left.

"Read on, _Trumpet Guy!"_

The hooded hero mock saluted, and read.

.

.

.

"That's enough. Stop," Bumblebee commanded.

The Herald acquiesced. He was sick of reading the diary anyway. He had picked that excerpt for one reason, and one reason only.

"The point of today's test is to match our anonymous writer's handwriting to... well, _whoever._ So I need all of y'all to get some paper and a pen and write _this_ sentence in cursive."

The Herald recited it.

"With a _period_ at the end," he emphasized. The writer's periods looked like short lines slanting upwards and to the right in noticeable fashion. By identifying the dominant hands of his remaining suspects and comparing the handwriting, the Herald hoped to single out the author.

Speedy scoffed. The given passage was about him.

"What a _nice guy."_

He furiously scribbled the exerpt.

Jericho nudged the Herald in the arm, presenting his finished quote.

" _Did **you** write-?_"

"I wrote it earlier."

He showed his own test paper.

"See? I ain't lyin', J. That'd be a great twist though, findin' out that the guy who wanted to unmask the writer more than anyone was actually the writer _all along._ Maybe you've been watchin' too much TV lately. Not that you've had the time."

Jericho, or "J.", shook his head.

No, he _hadn't_ had the time. Watching over Kilowatt and fighting the mechs had ripped Jericho's precious free time to _ribbons._ What time that wasn't spent with Kilowatt or in the city was spent in solitude, recuperating. For obvious reasons, Jericho was not a social butterfly, so extended conversations drained him greatly.

Socializing with the Herald and Kole affected him conversely, reviving his spirits. That had much to do with how much energy he saved not having to play charades, seek out a pen and paper, or mouth out words that felt foreign on his lips. He hadn't spoken in a _long_ time.

Kole and the Herald, and Kilowatt too, were his best friends.

The Herald cheerfully informed, "Kole is _out_ , same with you, Kil. Congrats on being ambidextrous, by the way."

Could that be an insult? Kilowatt didn't know.

 **"Thanks?"**

"Why do they get to be eliminated?" asked Bee.

The answer was painfully simple, and is: "They can't write in cursive. Every page so far has been in cursive, so it couldn't be them."

Kole blushed, mumbling, "Father took me out of school before I could learn."

Kilowatt elaborated freely, " **Where I come from, cursive has never existed. At least, as far as I know.** "

"You even _from here_?"

" **From _Earth_?**"

Bee nodded, stupefied that he would need that spelled out.

" **Technically, though I've never really been born in the _literal sense_ anywhere. The concept of birth from an already living life form is what you know, but it's not what I know. My origin is non-carbon based. That is... I don't come from an already living thing. Now, all of _you_ are carbon, and you came from already living things. I didn't. At my simplest, I'm electro-energy that pulses through a chargeable shell which I call a vessel, which you might call a body. Where or _who_ or _what_ I come from I have yet to verify.**"

"What's _electro-energy?"_ Speedy asked. He imagined firing an arrow supercharged with blue electro-energy. What kind of _damage_ would that do?

" **It's alot like regular electricity, only with the undefinable force, or energy, of life. I'm alive, but made of only pure electro-energy... and... _something else._** _"_

"So... if I put you into an arrow and _shot_ _you_ that'd be wrong, right? 'Cause you're technically alive."

His team screamed, "Yes!"

Kilowatt answered with a docile, " **M** **aybe.** **You shouldn't _shoot_ anybody, I think, except in a case of self defense."**

"Now let's get back to business," Bee said. "Most of my team, Kole and Kilowatt are _out,_ so that leaves...?"

The Herald relayed his list to her. "Me, Hot Spot, Argent, Jericho, Bumblebee, Speedy, and KF. I'm working on another way that we can eliminate someone, but I haven't got it _down-pat._ Gimme another day and I'll have somethin'."

"Sure. We'll all meet back here tomorrow then?"

"Yeah!"

"Definitely. I _still_ wanna know who this guy is."

"But before you go... Did you discover anything else about who the writer might be? Any matching handwriting, or anything?"

Sighing, the Herald answered, "No. The author is in no hurry to get caught. I know he's right-handed, but so is everyone else so that isn't helpful."

"I thought maybe..." Bee grunted. "One of the twins is left-handed... but that doesn't matter. Do you think that any of the people we've already eliminated could still be the author? We could've missed something."

"I'm _ninety-percent_ sure that we're on the right track. Just because I crossed someone off doesn't mean that they're really off my mind."

7

* * *

 **AN: That was easy. Eliminating Kole and Kilowatt, I mean. It's all uphill from here.**

 **(Passages of the diary are so offensive that I won't relay them until the end. Even then, there will be paraphrasing.)**


End file.
